Peninsula School District

GIG HARBOR, Washington — 18 schools

8,969
Total Enrollment
18
Schools
$24,585
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Peninsula School District operates 18 public schools serving 8,969 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 other, 5 elementary, 4 middle, 3 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 9,133 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Pierce County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $24,585 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 23.8% local, 68.0% state, and 8.2% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $92,913 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 58/100, ranked #79 of 240 in Washington against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 18 schools offering Advanced Placement (27 AP courses district-wide), a 361.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 7.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 75.0% White, 11.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% Asian across the district's schools.

Gig Harbor High accounts for 15.1% of all Peninsula School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Peninsula School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Peninsula School District school enrollment varies 12× across entities

Peninsula School District school enrollment ranges from 118 students (lowest) to 1,375 students (highest), a spread of 1,257 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Peninsula School District student-counselor ratio is 361:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Peninsula School District chronic absenteeism rate is 7.2% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.2%
Federal
68.0%
State
23.8%
Local

Funding Equity

58
Equity Score
79 / 240
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Pierce County county, where this district is located.

$1,428
Studio/mo
$1,605
1 BR/mo
$1,971
2 BR/mo
$2,733
3 BR/mo
$3,102
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$92,913
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 18 schools in Peninsula School District.

White 75.0%
Hispanic or Latino 11.4%
African American 0.6%
Asian 1.7%
Multiracial 10.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

3 / 18
Schools with AP
27 AP courses total
361.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
7.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Peninsula School District

School Enrollment
Gig Harbor High
1,375
Peninsula High School
1,345
Harbor Ridge Middle School
627
Goodman Middle School
519
Swift Water Elementary
519
Kopachuck Middle School
516
Purdy Elementary School
483
Pioneer Elementary School
481
Key Peninsula Middle School
444
Voyager Elementary
443
Artondale Elementary School
413
Harbor Heights Elementary School
397
Discovery Elementary School
380
Evergreen Elementary
336
Vaughn Elementary School
326
Minter Creek Elementary
272
Henderson Bay Alt High School
139
Peninsula Alternative Programs
118

Nearby Districts in Washington

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Seattle School District No. 1
51,238 students · 109 schools · $25,927/pupil
Compare vs Peninsula School District →
Lake Washington School District
30,991 students · 58 schools · $19,952/pupil
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Spokane School District
28,714 students · 68 schools · $24,487/pupil
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Tacoma School District
28,311 students · 69 schools · $23,190/pupil
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Kent School District
25,586 students · 45 schools · $19,780/pupil
Compare vs Peninsula School District →

Compare Peninsula School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Seattle School District No. 1 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Peninsula School District?

Peninsula School District has 18 schools, including 3 high, 4 middle, 5 elementary, 6 other. Total enrollment is 8,969 students.

How much does Peninsula School District spend per student?

Peninsula School District spends $24,585 per student. The district has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #79 in Washington.

What is the average teacher salary in Peninsula School District?

The average teacher salary in Peninsula School District is $92,913 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Peninsula School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pierce County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Peninsula School District?

Peninsula School District students are 75.0% White, 11.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% Asian, 0.6% African American, averaged across 18 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Peninsula School District?

Peninsula School District has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #79 out of 240 districts in Washington. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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